The invention relates to an adjustment system for ski boots including a collar which can be swivelled in relation to a shell, and the inclination of which is adjustable by virtue of a bolt fried in the collar and mounted in the shell in a level adjustable and positionally fixable manner, and the forward pivotal movement of which may optionally be damped by a damping spring provided on the heel side and which on the one side is supported on a support region, e.g. an off-set formation of the collar and on the other side by a bolt mounted in the shell in a level adjustable and positionally arrestable manner, the shell side end of the bolt being mounted in a manner allowing limited pivoting in the direction of travel by means of a ball joint in a sleeve in a level adjustable and positionally fixable manner or is itself designed as such a sleeve, or wherein the pivoting movement of the collar in a rearward direction is limited by an adjustable stop member, such stop member being formed by a sleeve mounted in the shell in a level adjustable and positionally fixable manner, wherein in any event the sleeve comprises at least one catch formation into which an externally operable counter catch formation engages.
By way of example a ski boot is known from EP-A-434 663 in which the pivoting of the collar in relation to the shell is damped by a damping spring provided on the heel side and the bolt loaded by the damping spring is mounted in the shell in a level adjustable and positionally fixable manner. Likewise the connection of the bolt loaded by the damping spring to the level adjustably guided sleeve by means of a ball joint is disclosed in that printed publication. In order to be able to rapidly adjust the inclination of the collar in relatively large steps the sleeve is provided with at least two catch formations, axially spaced apart and angularly off-set in relation to one another into which an optionally externally operable counter catch member engages. In order on the one hand to make it possible for the foot to be easily flexed in the ski boot when walking, yet rapidly and easily to restore the desired adjustment of the forward inclination of the collar in relation to the shell, each catch formation is associated with a groove into which a projection of the locking pin serving as the counter catch member engages even whilst the locking pin has been withdrawn from the catch formation.
In order to change the coarse adjustment of a greater or lesser forward inclination the sleeve must be turned in the one or other direction by means of a coin or a screwdriver-like tool, inserted into appropriate slots in the sleeve. This causes the locking pin to enter into the track of a groove leading to a different catch aperture due to an axial movement of the sleeve.
In order to permit such turning the engagement of the projection of the locking pin and the aforesaid groove must not be too deep, which on the other hand will not preclude an involuntary turning of the sleeve. Moreover due to the required turning of the sleeve by means of a tool a risk arises that the sleeve and more particularly the surrounding parts of the collar of the ski boot are damaged. For example when applying a screwdriver or the like used as a lever for turning the sleeve, it may easily happen that parts of the entry opening to the sleeve are broken out. This may happen particularly if the turning of the sleeve is resisted substantially by the groove-projection combination in order to inhibit involuntary rotation.
The ski boot according to FR-PS 2 341 283 likewise permits a coarse adjustment of the forward inclination. This takes place by a screw-like member being past and screw connected through a lug extending rearwardly from the shell and by a bolt connected to the collar which for that purpose is provided with a plurality of bores one above the other. However, this construction suffers from the drawback that the release of the pivoting movement for walking purposes cannot be provided in a rapid and simple manner, various manipulations and a tool being required for that purpose. The modification illustrated in FIG. 3 of the aforesaid French printed publication in which the coarse adjustment is combined with a closure means for the boot has the disadvantage that the liberation for walking is only possible while this single closure of the boot is open, wherefore a secure fit within the boot during walking is not provided. In addition the open closure, particularly its loosely projecting pans such as a clasp, etc., would impede walking and involve a risk of entanglement.
With a view to the stated disadvantages of the conventional constructions it is the object to the invention to provide an adjustment system for ski boots of the construction types referred to in the introduction, wherein these drawbacks are overcome. It should be possible in a simple and rapid manner to change from a predetermined forward inclination to an adjustment wherein the pivoting of the collar in relation to the shell is liberated for comfortable walking. In order to once again permit the mutual engagement of the catch and counter-catch in a reliable manner, the sleeve comprising such catch formation is to be secured against involuntary rotation reliably and by measures permitting simple manufacture.